


Night and Day

by gothamgirl28



Series: Mood Indigo [2]
Category: Downton Abbey
Genre: 1930s, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/F, Gen, Romance, S/T Valentine's Exchange, Valentine's Day
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-15
Updated: 2015-02-15
Packaged: 2018-03-12 22:55:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,892
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3358364
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gothamgirl28/pseuds/gothamgirl28
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>S/T Valentine's Exchange Fic for BroadwayBaggins. Prompt: Sybil and Tom in the 1930s. Set in my Mood Indigo Universe, it's Valentine's Day 1933.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Night and Day

**Author's Note:**

> I edited this chapter after finding a mistake as I was adding another chapter to Out of the Blue. Tom's mother's name is Katherine, not Margaret. I have made the changes below.

The Branson Home, South London  
Tuesday, 14 February 1933

Tom Branson entered his London home after a long and exhausting day at The Daily Herald's offices and plopped down on the couch. As he was about to raise his feet up onto the coffee table, a sharp voice warned him off.

"Thomas O'Flaherty Branson, if you dirty that coffee table with your shoes, I'll box your ears!"

Tom quickly placed his feet back on the floor and turned and looked at his mother, a sheepish expression on his face. For a woman nearing eighty, she was still as fierce as ever.

"Sorry, mam. It won't happen again."

Katherine Branson shook her head. "If I had a penny for every time you told me that Tommy, I would own the Gresham Hotel."

He grinned at his mother, knowing the truth in her words.

Taking a good look around the house, Tom realized something was off. He glanced at the clock on the mantle and saw that it was half past six. Surprised at how quiet the house was, he turned back to his mother.

"Where are the children? It's never this quiet."

Kate smirked. "Sybbie and Tommy are doing homework, and the younger two are in your bedroom listening to Sybil read to them as she rests."

A look of concern came over Tom at the mention of his wife. "How is Sybil?"

His mother just shook her head at him. "Sybil is fine. She's pregnant, Tommy, but she's not an invalid. She had a long day at work and decided to put her feet up."

Tom looked duly chastened by his mother. Kate knew that her son was worried about his wife, but she knew Sybil. Sybil was a doctor and a mother. She knew her own body very well. With the baby not due for another four months, Sybil knew there would be times when she just needed to put her feet up.

Deciding to change the subject, Kate continued talking to her son. "The children and I have already eaten. Sybil's and yours dinner is done. Roast chicken, carrots, and colcannon. Your wife requested the colcannon. Apparently, she's been craving it. I'm going upstairs to watch over the kids while you two eat."

Tom was confused. "What's the special occasion, mam?"

His mother looked up at the ceiling, as if asking for the Lord to grant her patience. "It's Valentine's Day, Tom. Please tell me you didn't forget to get something for your wife."

He rubbed his forehead. "I forgot what day it was. Don't worry I bought Sybil's gift two weeks ago. It's in the library."

Kate smiled at her son, happy that he hadn't forgotten to get his wife a gift. She nodded her head at him and started to ascend the stairs, wanting to let Sybil know her husband was home.

As his mother went upstairs, Tom walked into the library, in reality a reception room that the Bransons converted when they moved in, and approached his desk. He opened he top left drawer and removed a small box. Smiling, he popped open the box and looked down at the earrings he bought Sybil at the beginning of the month. They were light, sky blue glass earrings. He found them when he was in Scotland covering the East Fife by-election. An estate had gone bankrupt due to the Slump and was selling off everything. Tom hated the idea of profiting off of someone's misfortune, but he couldn't resist taking a look. He hadn't intended to buy anything, but he saw the jewelry and couldn't help taking a look. When he saw the earrings, Tom knew they would look beautiful on Sybil. When he told they were being sold for £15, he refused to pay such a low price, instead insisting that he pay £35. As soon as he returned to London, he placed the earrings in his desk drawer, where they had remained until this moment.

Closing the box and placing it in his pocket, Tom walked out just in time to see Sybil descend the stairs. She was wearing a simple blue dress, a white cardigan, and black heels. He beamed when he saw her, still as beautiful as she was when they celebrated their first Valentine's Day as a married couple fourteen years ago. Then, as now, she was pregnant, glowing from the inside out with impending motherhood.

On seeing her husband, Sybil in turn beamed at him. To her, he still was every bit as handsome as he was on their wedding day. She couldn't help taking him in, wearing a light grey Drape suit and black Oxfords. She quickly descended the rest of the stairs and hurried over to her husband of nearly fifteen years. Sybil rose up and sweetly kissed him on the lips.

Tom smiled at his wife before greeting her. "Good evening, love."

"Good evening, darling."

Taking her hand, he asked, "Let's eat."

He led her into the dining room, insisting that she sit while he brought the food to the table. Sybil being Sybil, ignored him and set the table. She was just lighting the candles when he entered the room with the colcannon and carrots. Tom shook his head, smirking at thinking his wife would listen to him. He gentled set the dishes on the table and returned to the kitchen. He was back shortly with the roasted chicken, the fresh rosemary from their family garden wafting ahead. They sat down and began to eat their dinner, chatting about their day.

As Sybil placed a bite of the roasted chicken into her moth, Tom asked, "Was the hospital busy today?"

She chewed and swallowed her food before answering. "Thankfully, it wasn't. I mostly saw patients in my office today, including Georgina Dawes. I can't believe she's six months old."

Tom smiled. "I can't believe in four months we're going to have our fifth child."

Sybil grinned. "I know." She paused for a moment and tilted her head to the side. "Do you think we're having a boy or a girl?"

"Girl."

"Really?! Me too!"

Grinning, Tom replied, "I'm very happy to be outnumbered in this household, though the boys might not agree."

The two of them laughed, knowing how much Tommy and Aiden were hoping for a baby brother.

After a minute or two, their laughter died down and they returned to eating their meal. Remembering something important, Sybil quickly swallowed her bit of colcannon and began talking again.

"I almost forgot. Dr. Davis and I talked about my schedule for the next three months. Mid-April, I'll be placed strictly on office hours and will only work the morning shift. She and I will work together to reduce my hours as needed as I progress into my eighth and ninth month. The goal is for me to work until I have the baby and then take time off."

Tom nodded. "That sounds like a good plan. Just promise me that you won't push it. If you need to take a day off, take one."

She smiled tenderly at her husband. "I will if I need it, but I feel great. I know the first few months were rougher than with the other four, but she's settled down and is quite content in there."

He nodded, knowing that Sybil was right.

"How was your day at the paper?"

Tom groaned. "It was fine until we started to discuss Germany. Some people think that Chancellor Hitler will be good for Germany due to his pro-Germany stance. I, however, think that he spells trouble. Remember Franz translated sections of Hitler's book for me. I read them." He looked Sybil in the eyes. "I don't agree with him or like the man."

Sybil took his right hand in her left and held it for several minutes, rubbing her fingers along his knuckles to soothe him.

"I know how you feel, Tom. It amazes me that there are people who agree with him, in Germany and here. Did you know that there are several prominent suffragists involved with the BUF?"

Tom nodded.

"I just don't get it."

She sighed. "Perhaps we should change the subject. I'm getting aggravated."

Tom smiled at her and kissed her on the cheek. He started to ask her about their children and how their day went. He loved his job, but there were days where he wished to stay home and be with their brood. They continued to talk and eat for the next twenty minutes, enjoying the time together without children fighting or needing to cut up someone's food.

After they finished eating and cleaned up, Sybil and Tom decided to go to the library and turn on the wireless. After several minutes of fiddling with the tuner trying to find a station playing some music, they finally found one. They came in as "Mood Indigo," a personal favorite of Sybil's, began. Tom reached out to his wife and they began to dance.

Before the song ended, he paused and reached into his pocket and handed her the box.

Sybil arched her eyebrow. "I thought we decided not to give each other gifts."

Tom smiled. "I know, but I saw them and knew you would love them."

She opened the box and gasped. "Oh Tom! I love them! They're absolutely beautiful!"

Sybil threw her arms around Tom's shoulder and pulled him in for a passionate kiss which lasted through the rest of the for them, another song went on right after. On hearing the music, Sybil and Tom smiled at each other and continued to dance.

 _Like the beat, beat, beat of the tom tom_  
When the jungle shadows fall  
Like the tick, tick, tock of the stately clock  
As it stands against the wall  
Like the drip, drip, drip of the rain drops  
When the summer showers through  
A voice within me keeps repeating  
You, you, you

Tom pulled Sybil closer and began to sing gently along.

 _Night and day you are the one_  
Only you beneath the moon or under the sun  
Whether near to me or far it's no matter darling  
Where you are  
I think of you

 _Day and night, night and day_  
Why is it so that this longing for you  
Follows where ever I go  
In the roaring traffic's boom, in the silence of my lonely room  
I think of you

 _Night and day, day and night_  
Under the hide of me, there's an oh such a hungry yearning  
Inside of me  
And this torment won't be through  
Till you let me spend my life making love to you  
Day and night, night and day

Once the song ended, Sybil looked up at her husband, tears glistening in her eyes. She reached up and cupped his face with her hand, tenderly stroking his cheek.

"It's the same for me, darling. Night and day. Always."

Tom smiled and leaned down, kissing his wife passionately. Sybil moaned into the kiss, pulling herself closer to him. After several minutes, she broke the kiss, but smirked up at her husband.

Taking hold of his hand, she uttered, "Let's continue this upstairs, darling."

Grinning like the cat the gat the cream, Tom allowed his wife to usher him up to their bedroom where they showed each other just how much they love each other all night.


End file.
